Happy 2018! We're excited to continue training exceptional developers in the coming year.
Part of being a great developer involves continued learning. And there's no better time to make some commitments to your own growth than the new year. With that in mind, here are some ideas for new year's resolutions that can help you become an even better engineer in 2018.
1. Solve more problems.
If you're looking to become a better problem solver, you can't go wrong by solving a bunch of problems. Just like you'll get stronger by going to the gym, you'll become a better problem solver by sitting down and solving problems.
Setting a daily goal may be hard to maintain, but weekly or monthly goals targeting a fixed number of problems to solve is a good way to go. If you're using a website like CodeWars, LeetCode, or CodeFights, you can also tailer your goal by difficulty.
2. Learn about a new trend.
Technologies are always changing, in web development especially. Whether you're looking for a job or are a seasoned engineer, it can be hard to find time to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. That's why it's important to make a conscious effort to look into what the cool kids are talking about, and why.
For example, if you're a JavaScript developer, maybe 2018 is the year to build a to-do app in Vue.js. If you're a backend developer, why not check out GraphQL. Do some research on emerging trends in the technologies you enjoy, and build one or two small projects so that you can gain some insight into those trends!
3. Learn some math! (discrete math, combinatorics, linear algebra).
I've argued before on this blog that you don't need to be good at math to be a good web developer. Having said that, depending on where your interests lie, it may be a good idea to brush up on your math skills (or build some new ones). This is especially true if you want to do things with games, data science, or machine learning.
Here are a couple of resources if you're looking to make your 2018 a bit more mathematical:
- Combinatorics: A Very Short Introduction
- Probability: For the Enthusiastic Beginner
- Introductory Discrete Mathematics
- Linear Algebra: A Modern Introduction
4. Learn a new language (preferably in a new style).
If you're looking to dive into a large topic this year, why not try picking up a new programming language? You can take a look at current trends in programming and try to anticipate which languages will make you the most marketable, or follow your heart and just pick a language you're interested in.
Regardless of your approach, though, it would be good to pick a language with opinions that are different from those of your favorite language. For instance, if you're coming from a language that emphasizes an object-oriented approach, why not jump into a functional language? (Hello, Haskell!)
5. Learn something non-technical.
Part of being a well-rounded developer is being a well-rounded person. And with so much to learn on the technical side, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that there's a whole world out there that doesn't have anything to do with computers. So make sure to give your keyboard a break from time to time, and take up a passtime that will force you to move away from your computer.
Got any other resolutions you're aiming for in 2018? Let us know about them on Twitter
